bobouz
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Posts posted by bobouz
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Your serial number makes it a 1966.
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On 8/27/2020 at 1:53 AM, 62burst said:
I believe that model came with a turbo.
That explains why I always seem to play it too fast!
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12 hours ago, pawlowski6132 said:
I thought the "Xtra"s were explicitly labeled as such
Fwiw, the label on my my 2000 maple J-100 xtra reads: J-100 XT.
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The J-100 Xtra was introduced in 1991, and featured a mahogany body through 1997. In 1999, it was reintroduced in maple, and since then there have been a number of other variations. I owned a '96, and currently own one made in 2000 (see avatar).
Now the tricky part: For 1995, there are two other J-100 Xtra variants listed in Gruhn's guitar guide. One is a "Smartwood" model utilizing a wood called Chakte Kok, which is from Mexico. The other is listed as a J-100 Xtra Montana Special, but no specs were available.
What exactly is given as the guitar's model name on the label?
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1 hour ago, E-minor7 said:
Plug away - you'll hear me in the choir : My 1963 p-bridge-ceramic-saddled J-45 performs small miracles of its own. I sometimes feel scary symbiosed with that cherry oldie.
So cool that you still have an intact original on a roundshoulder body! I would imagine very few are left after all the conversions that have been done.
Those poor old plastic bridges have forever been universally trashed, and rightfully so re the non-adjustable type. But the adjustable hardware version (if structurally stable) is tonally a little miracle worker, imho.
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The discussion of USA-made Epiphone acoustics has, to my understanding, always been considered appropriate for this section. Which gives me another chance to plug the plastic bridge/ceramic saddle tone as found on my ‘66 Epi Cortez.
There’s something very unique & compelling about that tone, which I first discovered in the ‘70s with a ‘64 Cortez flea market find, and later in a ‘65 Gibson B-25. After going without it for about ten years, I had to have it again & lucked upon this little gem. I’ve played a number of examples of the breed that simply sounded dead, but the good ones have all had a percussively metallic punch to them that’s quite special.
I’d have to think that a J-45/J-50/Texan with the plastic/ceramic combo would be more of the same, but enhanced re bass presence. I’ve only had the opportunity to play examples of the breed with the rosewood/ceramic pairing, which seems darn close, but perhaps subtly altered. So overall, I’d consider McCartney’s Texan to historically be a rather unique tonal machine.
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McCartney’s Texan would have originally come with the ceramic saddle, but of course he had it modified to correct the intonation for a lefty. Perhaps inserts were added to the ceramic saddle, or a whole new saddle was crafted from bone. One thing’s for sure - That Kalamazoo Texan has historically left it’s mark!
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Could not open your photo for some reason.
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Yes I agree, both versions look great!
Congrats & Enjoy!
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It’s a guitar AND a reflective vest, all in one tidy little package!
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54 minutes ago, JimR56 said:
... I think that L5 on the trunk of the car may be an L5CEST, not an L5CES.
Good one, Jim! You’ve indeed got a better look at it on the album cover than I do on the CD, and it just might be a T. Such beautiful instruments, I’ve always been partial to natural finishes, so yours is really something special, and so interesting that it was ordered in ‘66. A very unique & significant Gibson, imho.
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Jim, your guitar is magnificently beautiful!
As for Hank’s CC instruments, yes he had a number of them. You’ll need to add his L-5CES to your list of known examples. It is essentially identical to yours, but has a medium-light sunburst finish. Because he had his car accident in September of 1961, it’s build came before that date.
Hank’s guitar Is prominently displayed on the cover of a 2-CD set titled, “Move! The Guitar Artistry of Hank Garland.” He is seen sitting in a sports car, with five of his instruments.
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The ES-175 with a Charlie Christian pickup was made in 1978-79, and still appeared in the 1980 catalog. Both the sunburst & tailpiece are markedly different from your guitar.
Your photo does conform to the specs of the L-4CES. They were only available as a custom order in 1958, with nine examples shipped in 1959. A very cool guitar, indeed!
I have seen one L-5CES with a Charlie Christian pickup, owned & played by the late Hank Garland - a stunningly gorgeous instrument.
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I would lock in a trade arrangement immediately. Get something that sounds like what you’re after right out of the gate, rather than hoping you can somehow coax it into the zone.
Best of luck in finding one that works for you!
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I purchased a 2001 J-50 new in ‘01. Fixed bridge, batwing pickguard. Liked it very much except that the neck was chunkier than what I prefer, so I eventually returned it. Later came upon a 2002 J-45 Rosewood with the perfect neck profile & still have it.
Moral of the story: Yes, there can be very significant differences in neck profiles on early 2000s Gibsons.
I also have a few other similar first hand experiences from this era, but the above relates directly to the guitar you’re considering. You really won’t know for sure about the neck until it’s in your hands.
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Modoc, nice to have you checking in! Re the AJ, for me it's simply been a matter of having a preference for short scale instruments. I do own a number of long scale acoustics (including a McCartney Texan), but since the J-45/J-50 covers the same territory in a short-scale, I've never been focused on AJs.
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Totally agree with Lars on this. Gibson can make a guitar any way they want, but advertised specs need to match the actual product sold.
Beyond that, they have and will continue to play loosely with what essentially boils down to marketing tools & terms such as: reissue, limited edition, custom shop, special run, luthier’s choice, signature model, and so on.
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8 hours ago, Wmachine said:
I do take exception to what you said, I don't believe any of them came with CS serial numbers. and the COAs did not say Custom or Custom Shop. CS still means true Custom Shop.
Actually, your information is incorrect on all counts. I try to be absolutely sure that the info I post is accurate, least we begin creating alternative "truths". Here is what I can tell you based on fact:
- I have a 2009 ES-339. The serial number is CS 9XXXX (five numbers). CS denotes Custom Shop, and the number nine denote the model year of 2009. The COA that came with the guitar identifies the model & serial number, and states the following: "The instrument bearing the serial number above was hand-built by Gibson Custom....." and continues on with lofty prose. It is signed by Rick Gembar, General Manager, Gibson Custom Shop. The guitar also has the Custom Shop logo on the back of the headstock.
- I have a 2010 ES-330L. This is a 335ish long neck version, with a fully hollow body. The serial number is CS 0XXXXX (six numbers). The zero denotes the model year 2010. All other information is identical to the details regarding the 339 above.
Now it is understood that this was essentially all fluff, and these guitars were built on the standard Memphis assembly line - but nevertheless, this indeed is how these instruments are identified.
But let's dig a little deeper and muddy the waters even further as follows:
- I have a 2011 ES-335 with P-90s. This was a limited run instrument that carries a standard Gibson serial number (& no CS logo on the headstock). But it did come with the exact same Gibson Custom COA, with model & serial number identified, the same Gibson Custom prose, and the same signature by the Gibson Custom Shop GM.
- Finally, I have a 2012 ES-330 VOS. This guitar was Gibson's initial attempt at a very serious reissue of a '59 ES-330, and they were trying to nail all the pertinent details. This particular model was highly successful in reaching that goal, and received a great deal of praise upon release. In their reach for accuracy, Memphis used a stamped serial number, visible through the right-side F-hole. The serial number begins with a letter. There is no serial number on the back of the headstock, and no CS logo. But once again, this instrument came with the exact same COA as the other instruments noted above, specifying it's origin as a Custom Shop model.
All of the above helps to illustrate that the utilization of the term Custom Shop was clearly a moving target at Memphis. And it also helps to illustrate the conclusion I have come to after 49 years of being an instrument junkie: Guitar generalizations are made to be broken!
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There was no physically separate custom shop in Memphis, but the facility generated Custom Shop models, with Custom Shop headstock logos and serial numbers that began with CS to designate them as Custom Shop models.
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You got the wrong album ZWF. My favorites: Tuesday’s Dead & Peace Train from “Teaser and the Firecat”.
Stones: Major influence in ‘64 & ‘65. Done with them by their fourth album, other than an occasional song now & then. Never listen to them anymore.
Dylan: Being more blues oriented, Hwy 61 Revisited was the one that clicked for me, and then so many other gems up through the Modern Times album. Still have to get a fix of his stuff every now & then. Forget the voice, it’s all about the poetic phrasing, and the incredible musicians he continually surrounds himself with.
Bottom line: We all like what we like.
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Oh my, hearing that voice quickly transports me back.
Wore out his albums once upon a time - Thanks for sharing.
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Gruhn Guitars is one of the most respected names in the business, and does appraisals (for a fee) if you send detailed photos. Remember that their appraisal will reflect what they would sell the instrument for if it were for sale in their store.
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Nice to hear that you eventually got one that’s satisfying & thanks for the update.
One thought on the new guitar - I typically prefer reflector knobs like the ones you installed, but have found on a few of my dark ES-bodied electrics that gold speed knobs gave them a nicely balanced look (helping to offset all that darkness!).
As for quality from the various factories, in my experience this has been a shifting proposition, and each factory has gone through eras where their build quality has peaked, ebbed, and hopefully peaked again.
For Memphis ES bodies, 2009 to 2012 was a rather impressive stretch, imho. I own one ES model from each of those years, with the most notable being a natural finish 330-VOS from 2012 that really nailed a ‘59 vibe. The early 2000s when they were starting up were rather hit & miss by comparison.
Anyway, congrats & enjoy your new beauty!
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1 hour ago, stevo58 said:
The thinline version is directly comparable to an ES-330 or Casino. The full depth version could be compared to a P90 175.
Re Kalamazoo-made versions of the ES-125, other than the body depth, even the thinline version shares many build details with the ES-175. The 14-fret neck joint, elevated fingerboard, and pickup location are all identical to a 175.
The cutaway full-depth 125 models bump comparisons up considerably and are in fact so similar to a 175, that two-pickup versions can command a rather high price on the used market. I have a 125T (non-cutaway), and agree that they are very good guitars. Gobs of delicious P-90 tone in a typically affordable package.
ES 335 model number HB096M... any info?
in Gibson ES
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Welcome Troy - Well, for whatever reason, Gibson apparently does not want to release production totals to the public.
As for your specific guitar - Based on the Memphis instruments I own from that time period, the little bit that I can tell you is that the HB model number was seen on other instruments at the time - but those numbers most likely only made sense to Gibson!
Regarding the year of your guitar, Memphis build quality was very high in 2012, and VOS models typically were seriously executed reissues. It’s probably not going to be that rare of an instrument, but it definitely has value in the market & would be considered a keeper by many.
Congrats & Enjoy!